This post may contain affiliate links. Where I make a small commission on purchased items, at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure for details.
(This post has been updated from the original October 2016 version to provide a better experience for you)
These super fun ginger-dead men Halloween biscuits are seriously easy to make and look really effective! Naturally I’ve made my own ginger biscuits but if you’re in a hurry you could just as easily buy some gingerbread men and decorate in the same way.
If you’re into your gory Halloween treats, you’ll love this super easy Halloween dessert recipe too. It’s a really simple no bake tart filled with ‘bloody’ caramel! I love a disgustingly good surprise, don’t you?
If you’re after easy Halloween recipes, you’re definitely in the right place. Being a busy Mum myself, I strongly dislike recipes that are over complicated and take forever! There’s just not enough hours in the day for ‘complicated’! I do however, thoroughly enjoy all the positive reactions when people eat things I’ve made/baked. I’m sure you do too!
If you’re struggling with confidence in the kitchen, read through baking for beginners. You’ll gain knowledge, confidence AND my Top 5 Tips to Guarantee Baking Success!
With that in mind, not only are these Halloween biscuits SO much fun to make but they honestly taste divine! Plus everyone will love the creative decoration. It’s also a perfect recipe for the kids to get involved with too. They can really let their imagination run wild with these fun and gruesome Halloween biscuits!
Speaking of creepy Halloween food ideas, have you seen these blood spatter Halloween cookies? Or my ‘bloody surprise’ Halloween cupcakes? Both are brilliantly gory treats!
Recipe tips
- Make sure your ingredients are all the same temperature before starting. It works so much better and basically makes your life easier. (Simply take chilled ingredients out the fridge 1 hour before using.)
- Try to keep all your biscuits the same thickness. This will ensure they all bake at the same time and you won’t end up with some nicely golden and some burnt!
- Please don’t skip chilling the biscuits before baking. Not if you want actual men shaped Halloween biscuits anyway! (They will most likely spread and lose their shape if you don’t.)
- Keep a close eye on your biscuits while they’re baking and don’t rely completely on your timer. One minute can be the difference between perfectly golden and moderately over-done!
- I find it easiest to buy pre-made icing in tubes that’s ready to go. Simply because it’s one less thing for you to make and you know bought ones will work! Less headaches all round.
- Be mindful of icing setting times when storing your biscuits. The last thing you want to do is stack them on top of each other and ruin all your wonderful decoration.
Ginger-Dead Men Halloween Biscuits – Step by Step Picture Recipe
(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)
Ingredients
Here is what you will need to make approx 18-20.
For the biscuits
- 125g (1/2 + 1/8 Cup) Unsalted Butter, room temp
- 100g (1/2 Cup) Golden Caster Sugar
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 tbsp Cold Water
- 225g (1 + 3/4 Cup) Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- Pinch of Salt
For the decoration
- Tube of Black Icing
- Tube of Red Icing
Essential equipment
- Electric Stand Mixer or Large Bowl with an Electric Hand Whisk
- Rolling Pin
- Gingerbread Men Cutter (mine was 9cm (3.5″) tall)
- Baking Tray
Biscuit instructions
To make the biscuits, in an electric stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric hand whisk, cream together the butter (125g | 1/2 + 1/8 Cup) and sugar (100g | 1/2 Cup) until light and fluffy.
Then add the egg yolk (x 1) and water (1 tbsp) and mix again until smooth.
Next, sift in the flour (225g | 1 + 3/4 Cup) , ginger (1 tsp) and salt (pinch) then fold in with a spatula until it forms a dough.
Cut out two large pieces of baking paper. Lay one on your work surface and tip the dough out onto it. Gently knead until it comes together then form a flattened disc.
Place the second sheet of baking paper on top and roll to a thickness of 5mm. Take your gingerbread man cutter and cut out as many shapes as possible.
Place the cut biscuits onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper then re-roll the remaining dough out to 5mm and cut out more men. Repeat until you have no dough left.
Place the biscuits into the fridge to chill for 1 hour before baking. This will help them hold their shape much better.
When the biscuits are chilled, line a baking sheet with baking paper or a non stick silicone mat and preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 170°C/356ºF.
Place some men on the tray leaving space for a little spreading between each one.
Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until the edges are golden.
Leave on the tray for a few minutes to harden, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. Repeat the baking process for all the remaining ginger-dead men Halloween biscuits.
Decorating instructions
Once completely cooled, simply decorate with red and black icing however you feel like it! I snapped a few in half, tore off limbs and added lots of ‘blood.’ Gave them all pained faces, cuts and stitches. You really can let your imagination run wild with this though!
Once you’ve finished icing your ginger-dead men Halloween biscuits, leave them on a wire rack until the icing has completely set. Then store at room temp in an airtight container (I prefer metal as they keep their crunch better.) Consume within 5-7 days.
Told you they were easy! And SO effective too! They’d be perfect for trick or treaters in little clear plastic gift bags tied with orange and black curling ribbon. They’d also look great on any Halloween party buffet table, I know I’d be reaching for a bloody limb or two!
Liked This Post? Pin It!
Easy Ginger-Dead Men Halloween Biscuits - Printable Recipe
These Ginger-Dead Men biscuits are a perfect Halloween treat. Easy to make, tasty to eat and an all round gruesome delight!
Ingredients
For the biscuits
- 125g (1/2 + 1/8 Cup) Unsalted Butter, Room Temp
- 100g (1/2 Cup) Golden Caster Sugar
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 tbsp Cold Water
- 225g (1 + 3/4 Cup) Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- Pinch of Salt
For the decoration
- Tube of Black Icing
- Tube of Red Icing
Essential equipment
- Electric Stand Mixer or Large Bowl with an Electric Hand Whisk
- Rolling Pin
- Gingerbread Men Cutter (mine was 9cm (3.5″) tall)
- Baking Tray
Instructions
Biscuit instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy in a stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric hand whisk.
- Beat in the egg yolk and water until smooth. Then sift in the flour, ground ginger and salt. Mix until a crumbly dough forms.
- Flatten between two sheets of baking paper and roll to 5mm Thickness. Cut out as many ginger-dead men as you can then re-roll and repeat until the dough is used up. Chill them in the fridge for 1 hour then preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 170°C/356ºF.
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper/a silicone mat and lay some ginger-dead men evenly spaced apart on it. Bake for 8-10 mins until the edges are just turning golden. Sit on the tray for a few minutes then cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat for the remaining biscuits.
Decorating instructions
- Using black and red icing, decorate with stitches, 'blood', cuts and funny faces. Allow to set before storing in a metal container. Consume within 7 days.
Notes
See the main post for a more detailed, step by step picture recipe.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 135Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 26mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information on kitchenmason.com should only be used as a general guideline, I am not a certified nutritionist. Please always check labels for allergens where applicable.